Janusz Mackiewicz – Frogsville (2008)

Grzegorz Nagorski - trombone
Dariusz Herbasz - saxophone
Dominik Bukowski - vibraphone
Janusz Mackiewicz - bass
Adam Czerwinski - drums

ECNALUMBA 002





By Adam Baruch

This is the second album as a leader by Polish Jazz bassist / composer Janusz Mackiewicz. It is a live recording, which also features saxophonist Dariusz Herbasz, trombonist Grzegorz Nagorski, vibraphonist Dominik Bukowski and drummer Adam Czerwinski, all well seasoned players from the Polish Baltic Tricity scene. The quintet performs seven compositions, six of which are original compositions: four by Mackiewicz, one each by Bukowski and Herbasz and the last one is a Charles Mingus tune.

The music is all well within mainstream Jazz, but the excellent compositions and spotless execution turn it into a very pleasant listening experience, mostly low key and somewhat subdued. The music is definitely not trying to break any new musical ground, but it does represent highly professional well played contemporary Jazz, which is accessible to a wide Jazz audience and should satisfy most regular Jazz connoisseurs all over the world.

In many respects this music has a nostalgic feel of the be bop hay days as captured during the 1950s and 1960s on Blue Note, Prestige and other labels, but with a more contemporary sound quality. This album is definitely worth checking out, especially for Polish Jazz collectors, as it proves beyond any doubt that Polish Jazz musicians can play classic Jazz as well as the guys across the pond.